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Battle Honour BOU ARADA

Event

Friday, 26 February, 1943

Tunisia, North Africa.

The Battle Honour BOU ARADA is emblazoned on the Queen's Colours of The Royal Irish Regiment.

During mid-February 1943, the force holding the Bou Arada plain was reduced to a minimum when units were detached to reinforce the Allied efforts at the Battle of Kasserine Pass. The Bou Arada defenders were reorganised as 'Y Division' consisting of 38 Irish Brigade, a Para Brigade, a French battalion, and supporting artillery and armour. Brigadier Nelson Russell was placed in command and immediately formed a reserve consisting of one squadron of Churchill tanks, one squadron of Derbyshire Yeomanry, and one infantry battalion - the 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Fusiliers.

The Germans attacked at Bou Arada at dawn on 26 February 1943, where their main effort was on the rear left flank in the areas known as Stuka Farm and Jebel Rihane. There, three battalions of the Hermann Goering Division, supported by ten Panzers, attacked the Irish Brigade where the 2nd Battalion The London Irish Rifles, holding somewhat extended positions were, virtually overrun by one of the German battalions. Although the enemy had some local success, by the end of the day the situation was restored, except for one hill still in enemy possession.

At first light on the following morning, an artillery barrage struck Hadj Hill and, when E Company 2 LIR followed up the attack, they found that the enemy had fled leaving 80 dead.

The Battle Honour BOU ARADA was awarded to The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, The Royal Irish Fusiliers and the London Irish Rifles.

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'I turned over one poor chap on a rocky, bloody crag on Tanngoucha. He was facing the right way, the last round of a clip in the breech and three dead Germans in front of him. His name was Duff. After all is over - and the remainder of the Empire is understandably irritated with Ireland - I hope these countless Duffs, from both the North and the South, and in all three services, will be remembered.
(Brigadier Nelson Russell, Commander 38 (Irish) Brigade)